Heliconia

17 February 2025

Okay, so not Valentine's themed, but I did one. I had an idea that I couldn't quite pull off with the materials I had on hand, so I'm filing it away for another time when I have something to make a frame out of. It will be cool - I promise.

This week I used materials from my garden (such that it is) because the Heliconia is blooming its head off. Heliconia is a perennial herb that is native to the Caribbean and South America. It is sometimes known as Parakeet Flower or Parrot's Beak. Mine is growing in (and now out of) a greenhouse, and also in a garden bed out the front. They are really quite hardy and need very little care (luckily for me).

I managed to find one sprig (I think that's the right word) of Frangipani flowers so I thought I'd see how long they last on the stem in water. Because I didn't have much variation in the actual flowers I used as many types of greenery as I could find. The stem of Croton will hopefully sprout some roots (along with the Mother-in-law's Tongue) and I can plant them as cuttings when this arrangement is spent. There's some Monsterio, Strelitzia (Bird of Paradise), Canna, Rubber Plant and String of something that isn't pearls because they aren't round in there too. Again, it's foam free. Arranged in the old coffee jar the sunflowers were in. With this many thick stems there wasn't a need to stabilise the jar with stones this time.

I've been working on the assessment pieces for my Diploma. I think I mentioned that the topic of this current module is Visual Communication and the focus is on the Elements and Principles of Design. In order to shoot the image that used Line as the dominant element I took a little excursion to the Emerald Railway Station after creating a miniature suitcase out of an eraser and a tiny piece of leather lacing. There was a near miss with a potentially disastrous super glue incident (note to self; do NOT attempt to take the top off with your teeth), but I did not avoid the ants on the platform. One of them took umbrage at being disturbed so late on a Saturday afternoon it bit me. Twice, I think, unless it rallied reinforcements. They are still red and itchy. Does that count as suffering for my art? I'm undecided. Let me know if this shot is art. Next week I'll show you Tone.